Yo La Tengo There’s A Riot Going On (Matador)
Despite the fact that Yo La Tengo are known for their ability to cover just about any tune at any time, this is not a re-creating of the iconic Sly & The Family Stone album of the same name.
And despite the title, the music found in this, the band’s 15th studio album, is anything but riotous. In fact, it’s some of the most sedate and calming music YLT has made over the course of their 30+ year career.
Which, I have a feeling, is exactly the point.
Reviewers around the world are struggling to connect the title of the album to the music as the band itself has been completely non-committal. And I, too, shall take the bait.
My feeling is that the “clue” lies in the one non-band composed song on the album.
Track 6, Polynesia #1 was written by veteran folkie Michael Hurley (he just performed at Auckland’s Golden Dawn during their final week). The song, an easy-going tune with a descending bassline, features the lyric, “There ain’t nobody who got to tell me how I take my liberty” and later, “going to Polynesia because I done got wise”.
So, my guess it that the folks in Yo La Tengo view the current US political climate (they are based in New Jersey) as a “riot”, and this music is an escape…the next best thing to “going to Polynesia”.
As such, There’s A Riot Going On is 15 tracks of soothing, ambient soundscapes. Some have vocals, but they seem to simply serve the music, rather than carry any profound message.
The soundscapes range from gentle psychedelia (She May, She Might), to shimmering drone-infused percussive tracks (You Are Here) to funky workouts (Out Of The Pool) to tributes to a simpler time…Forever sounds very much like a tip of the hat to The Flamingo’s ethereal 1959 hit, I Only Have Eyes For You with its “shoo-wop, shoo-wops”.
Clocking in and over an hour, the three members of Yo La Tengo (Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley and James McNew) have offered up a respite from the constant rabble…the riot going on…seemingly constantly. Look at this as an island of calm in the middle of a stormy sea.
Marty Duda
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April 3, 2018 @ 9:05 pm
Last night Robert Plant & the Sensational Shape-Shifters took to the stage at Palais theatre.Their second show was part of the annual Bluesfest held each year in Byron Bay.Wonderful stuff indeed! I sat next to a couple that had flown over just to see him.He is a BIG Led Zeppelin fan and they had never seen him before.
And two days prior to that I managed to catch Jackson Browne there too.It also was a great show;his voice still holding up after all those years…Excellent players in the line-up both bands had incredible talent.